The invention generally relates to methods and systems for retaining software objects and associated documents and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing controlled access to shared objects and documents in a database among approved users by individually defining the scope of their access to the data contained therein.
Most business entities have a perpetual need to exchange data among other business entities. Manufacturers, for example, have a constant need to interchange their product data among their business partners in order to keep production flowing efficiently. As business arrangements become more complex, it becomes important to carefully organize data that is shared among business partners. This becomes important as manufacturers are now outsourcing more and more products, further depending on outside business partners.
To complicate matters further, these business partners often exchange information electronically on different and incompatible formats. As a result, many businesses resolve this problem by actually exchanging paper documents among themselves. This of course seems absurd in light of modern day advancements in computer technology. However, most businesses that focus on producing products will not easily change their business practices at the administration level in fear of inhibiting their product flow. In order to gain acceptance by businessmen, any new method of exchanging data needs to be simple, easy to implement and virtually error free.
One approach is to employ an electronic data interchange (“EDI”). An EDI is typically established between two businesses or entities to securely exchange data. The problem with this method is that it is limited to two parties. This is not helpful for diverse business relationships having multiple partners. This makes it difficult to share information, especially when multiple partners contribute information among a complex supply chain of component parts. In the end, the host of the information being used in the supply chain must dictate how the information is distributed by establishing certain business relationships. For example, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can contract to a multitude of contract equipment manufacturing (CEM) companies which collaborate to develop a product, subcontracting component parts to different companies. These relationships can form a complex chain of business agreements that require information to be passed among the companies according to the individual agreements. Typically, the OEM governs how the business chain is set up among the multiple partners and dictates how information is passed among the business partners. It can also be the case, however, that information emanates from another part of the supply chain, such as a CEM, which may develop a component part, the design of which other partners depend upon for their development. In such situations, information pertaining to the product and its individual parts must flow among the partners in a tightly regulated manner, limiting access to certain confidential information to particular partners. Accomplishing this electronically is very difficult, since the individual partners must exchange information among themselves while maintaining each other's trade secrets and confidential information.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus that can centralize information, maintain trade secrets and confidentiality among business partners and allow access to certain information according to established business relationships in an organized and useful manner. Such a product would obviate the need for complex individual agreements between business partners that prescribe the sharing of trade secrets and confidential information. As discussed below, the invention accomplishes this is a unique and elegant manner.